Now I know if you had a preference you wouldn't want either, that's pretty easy to say.

But most promoters and tracks have to watch their backs if they are going to offer up BIG BUCKS. I'm not saying $5k, $10k or even $15k isn't big, but when you start offering $25k a day or throw in $50k it gets REAL BIG and can cost you a lot if you guarantee it and racers don't show.

SO - My question is

Would you like to see on the Flyer Pre Register so the Promoter knows if they can justify having the race?

or

Guaranteed "Based on XXX amount of Cars" (Which in my opinion ISN"T Guaranteed)?

And don't give me a "That's the risk they take". These are businesses that we need to survive if we wan't somewhere to race.

SL...

Figure out a way to promote it as a progressive purse. Start with a reasonable base amount (5,10,20k) Open it to pre-entry's and every entry past a set number adds to the purse. Similar to the fling, but with digital marketing these days it can be instantly updated. It would give promoters a bit more protection, and as to "pot" grew it would generate more interest with racers.

Guaranteed based on X amount of cars..

But still a guaranteed amount regardless of car count..regardless if it’s $1000...

Well I hate pre entry races as I don’t have a clue what may happen by the time the race happens.
Reputation of track and promoters is what brings the racers so I would say start small and build it up. I like the progressive payout as it rewards the racers along with promoters when a lot of racers show up.
I pre entered races at Norwalk because of reputation and I figured it would sell out, I also pre entered a race at Dragway 42 only because I won a nice chunk of money at the ACE race last year. Both tracks are 130 miles or less from my house but I wouldn’t do it if it was much further away.

I would like to see pay outs on the flyer that state a pay out based on car count.
10 cars pays xx
20 cars pays xx
30 cars pays xx

Don't post a minimum car count you know darn well you won't get. Racers get wise to the fact the purse is cut every time. Your reputation will determine your success so if you can't afford a bad day don't even try......Think of George Howard when you talk reputation. The best ever

I don’t race any longer, but will still chime in.

I would prefer to see the details of the race on one flyer. The details need to include the same entry fee for everyone that is collected at the gate. Figure out what you can pay based on that. $40k guaranteed seems to be a great start.

No last minute BOGO type deals.

I would like to see no car count minimums, race payouts based on amount of entries, no buy backs if over 450 entries, double entries allowed.

JMO

Simply put, Torqin has it right!

No car maximum limits - how would you like it if I said you can't race here today!

No BB's when car counts exceed a certain number which 450 sounds about right in order to keep the total race time reasonable

Although I am not a fan of double entries, they are required to get the purse value in the big buck range

And I'll add one more, Peter and Kyle have it at the Fling's. In order to put on a successful race that will last, you need to make as many racers as possible happy, so they want to come back each year. Besides the payouts, these races award many other great prizes which equals more happy racers!

It's not a secret, take care of the business and it will take care of you.

i like no min car count and BB based on entries and No Double entries a driver and a car goes down the track 1 time per round

The question presumes that racers that pre-register actually show up to the event. There have been many different events under many different promoters that have suffered a MASSIVE attrition rate, as much as HALF. And again, that's happened to more than one track or promoter! That's absolutely staggering, and virtually insurmountable. It's popular to talk about guaranteed payouts, but there's no such thing as "guaranteed cars". You can't count an entry until it rolls through the gate.

This is one reason why we don't even mess with pre-registration for 64-car shootouts anymore. For whatever reason, people like to have their name on a list. We could announce a Thursday night shootout on Tuesday night of race week, fill it up the same day, and two days later you're hunting 20 alternates. When we do shootouts, they are now first-come, first-serve.

Also, the question notes, "Pre Register so the Promoter knows if they can justify having the race". If a race formet is adjusted or cancelled due to low pre-registration, was it really guaranteed in the first place? That's no different than "Guaranteed Based on XXX amount of Cars".

We do have car minimums in place in case of a natural disaster (ours is spelled out on our flyers, along with noting that R/U, Semi, and all Round Money *is* guaranteed), but we have also paid full boat when the minimum was not met numerous times, added money to the purse numerous times over the years, and raised the purse from year-to-year numerous times due to racer support. When everyone is pulling in the same direction, it is great for everyone.

As a racer, I agree with Ferndale. As long as the minimums are reasonable, it's not a concern for me. I am not a fan of pre-entry. I'll still pre-enter some events, but it can be a real pinch on the wallet sometimes. It wasn't bad when their were just a couple per year, but now there are a huge number of events that want money months in advance -- and I'm not just talking about "big money" races. I'm seeing it on a local level now, too. Maybe I wouldn't care if I was independently wealthy, but I'm not. Cash flow is important. I'd like to pay for "this weekend's" race and "next weekend's" race before having to pay for a race months down the road.

$.02,

No track or promoter can keep putting on races if there always loosing money or breaking even. Guarantee a good purse 10-20-10 or 10-50-10 up to 150-300 cars. Have on the flyer every 25 cars over that amount will add X amount to the purse each day. I’m not a fan of pre entry because I never know when I’ll be out of town working. I’m also not a fan of a 3-4 day race without a time run or buyback. Take the Million in Montgomery. Test on Wednesday and no time runs or buybacks unless you enter the million itself. Every year I’ve went the track is junk the first day when there testing and cars picking up 4-6 numbers on Thursday so I’ve stopped going. Sucks if you make one pass everyday and get stuck watching. On double entry’s I say if your having them then they should be double same or different car because everyone doesn’t have 2 cars and it gives everyone the chance to double instead of the guys with all the money backing them but 2 entry’s max per Driver/car. I have to say SFG is paying big money and always has good car counts. Only one time run the first day but still has buybacks everyday. Now that the pre entry is gone I plan on going to some of his races.

quote:

Originally posted by TORQIN:
I would like to see no car count minimums, race payouts based on amount of entries, no buy backs if over 450 entries, double entries allowed.

JMO

This ^^^^

Well, no b*ybacks sure sounds good. Just saying. Take care. Tom Worthington

I don't mind pre-entry events if they offer a nice discount for doing so...most of the big money events draw from a fairly wide area so I am a fan of buy backs...I am not all that warm and fuzzy with the notion of one and done after towing 10 or more hours to get there...

Guaranteed money is always preferred but it seems to me there is only so far we can ask a promoter to go...just my .02...

As of today we are still not full for this event, we are now letting everyone know that the deadline to pre-enter this event will be May 1st by 9pm. If we don’t have at least 200 entries by then we will go ahead and cancel the $50K, return the $$ to those that did pre-enter and go back to the original $10K event.

The above is a copy and paste from $50K race
The exact reason pre entry sucks. It allows them to simply cancel a race just because they can’t attract enough racers but most of these races don’t allow you to cancel and get your entry back if you can’t make the race. You know they would get more entries at the gate if they kept the door open up till the race day.

quote:

Originally posted by green1:
As of today we are still not full for this event, we are now letting everyone know that the deadline to pre-enter this event will be May 1st by 9pm. If we don’t have at least 200 entries by then we will go ahead and cancel the $50K, return the $$ to those that did pre-enter and go back to the original $10K
The above is a copy and paste from $50K race
The exact reason pre entry sucks. It allows them to simply cancel a race just because they can’t attract enough racers but most of these races don’t allow you to cancel and get your entry back if you can’t make the race. You know they would get more entries at the gate if they kept the door open up till the race day.

Exactly I would have attended this race if you could pay at the gate with CASH in hand but now I’m out...but I also I see the promoters side to...

quote:

Originally posted by fuzzy dice:
I don't mind pre-entry events if they offer a nice discount for doing so...most of the big money events draw from a fairly wide area so I am a fan of buy backs...I am not all that warm and fuzzy with the notion of one and done after towing 10 or more hours to get there...

Guaranteed money is always preferred but it seems to me there is only so far we can ask a promoter to go...just my .02...

I agree with this and would just add to me it all comes down to a reasonable payout for the number of cars and entry fees paid.

Get rid of pre entry racing..